Who Should Stalk Out?
by TuggersTuxedoTom
Summary: Ever wonder how the great Rumpus Cat came to be? And why is Rumpus so interested in a certain Jellicle? Follow him from his birth to the present day to the cat we all know and love!
1. Alone

**Ok, ok, I know. Ya'll are probably tired of my stories now. But hey, at least it's someone other than Tugger and Misto :) I've decided to try and write about a different Jellicle. Let's hope this goes well…oh, by the way, this ****_will _****be a slash later on.**

***Sigh. I don't own Cats...luckily for you...* :P**

* * *

_"He looks just like you," a red and gold queen said as she looked down at her newborn kitten. _

_The black tom smiled. "Most importantly, he has your eyes."_

_As if on cue, the black tom kitten opened his eyes to reveal an emerald green color, the same as his mother's. He pawed the air and began mewing with hunger. The red and black queen smiled and settled her kitten down with milk. He sucked away happily._

_"What should we call him?" She asked, looking down at the completely black body of fur._

_"…Xander."_

_The kitten had finished drinking and was now playing with his tail in her arms. She lifted him up and touched her nose to his, making him smile. "It's perfect."_

* * *

_That was three weeks ago._

_The city of London was quiet. Well, except for the sounds of running paws and heavy breathing. _

_The red and gold queen ran through the streets, dodging obstacles as a group of Pollicles chased after her. The three - week - old tom was wrapped in her arms, mewing occasionally. She and the kitten had no protection. His father – her mate – was already dead from the Pollicles. She had to hurry to find protection for her only son._

_She breathlessly rounded the corner, managing to escape the Pollicles for a brief second. She hurriedly glanced around for anything that could hide the kitten. She spotted a few cardboard boxes and gently set the small bundle inside._

_"I love you, my sweet little Xander." She whispered and planted a small give on the kitten's forehead. "Be safe. I love you." _

_The Pollicles were coming closer. She gave her kitten one last glance before turning around and running away. The red and gold queen's screams pierced through the night as the Pollicles caught up to her and quickly died down. The small kitten poked his head out from under the blanket and peered into the night._

_"Mommy?" The kitten called out. No one answered._

_He was all alone._


	2. Discovered

I waited day and night for them, never moving from my box. My tummy was rumbling with hunger and I was weak. My arms and legs could barely support my frail body. I lay limp in my blankie, hoping my Mommy and Daddy would come for me soon. I curled up every night and cried myself to sleep.

The weather grew harsher each passing day. Luckily I had my blankie to keep me warm and the box to shelter me from the white falling powder. I watched the alley cats dance and play in it. I once stuck my nose out to get a better view of the white powder, but one fell on my nose. I shrunk back. That was cold! I think I once heard someone call it 'snow'.

It was tough finding food, especially since I didn't know how to hunt. I guess having a box behind a restaurant is considered lucky, since all I have to do is crawl to gets a few scraps of what I can get. I was afraid of cats and Pollicles. Every time I heard the slightest of noises, I hid under my blankie. The outside world was a scary place. And the best part? I was so small, I was never discovered!

One particular morning, however, I was finally discovered.

A fresh sheet of snow was on the ground and the alley where my box stood was quiet for once. Most of the cats who lived there were out wandering around the city. I happily settled down to take a nice catnap. It didn't last long, however, when I heard several tiny voices laughing. I dove under my blankie, poking my head out slightly.

"C'mon, Teazer!" I heard a young tom say. "It's your turn!"

"No woy!" A young queen replied. "Oi'm olways 'it' foirst!"

"Ok, 'ow about we moike a deal?" A second young tom voice spoke up. "If yah go foirst, the one yah cotch 'as tah kiss the othah playah!"

"Where?" The queen asked.

"Um…the cheek!"

"Deal!" The young queen said. I heard the two toms scurry away as the queen ran after them. I listened to them shriek in delight as they avoided the queen's paw and throw snowballs at each other. It finally grew silent after a few seconds. I thought they had left and walked out from under my blanket – still inside my box, though.

"OOF!"

A ginger tom about my age fell in front of my box, sending up a cloud of snow. I hissed in surprise and curled up into a ball. He heard my hiss and glanced over, noticing me. His eyes widened as he watched me cowering away from him.

"Hey you guys!" The ginger tom called over to his friends, brushing the snow off of his fur. The queen had successfully caught the tom that looked a lot like her. They were both white with black and orange stripes. "There's a kitten over here!"

The kittens bounced over. The striped queen bent down and looked at me, tilting her head. "Whot do yah suppose we do?"

"Toike 'im tah Jenny, Oi guess?" The striped tom suggested. I frowned. What was this Jenny? Would it hurt?

"What's your name?" The ginger kitten asked me.

"Xander," I replied.

"I'm Macavity, and these are my friends, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer." He gestured to the two cats beside him. "What are you doing out here?"

"Waiting for my Mommy and Daddy."

"Well…where are they?"

"I don't know," I said sadly. "I waited for them for a few days, but they never came back to me."

The ginger kitten glanced at his friends and he held his paw out to me. "Come with us."

I hesitated. "Where are we going?"

"To the junkyard." I picked up my blankie and followed the three kittens out to the junkyard. So many questions were running through my mind. Why were we going to the junkyard? What would happen if Mommy and Daddy came back, but I wasn't there? None of these questions were answered, considering I kept them to myself.

"'ey, Jerrie," Teazer perked up suddenly. "Don't fahget, yah 'ave tah kiss Mac since Oi caught yah!"

Jerrie groaned. "Oi wos 'oping yah would 'ave fahgotten…"


	3. Acceptance

Along the way to the junkyard, they told me about all the different cats who lived in the junkyard with them. They called themselves 'Jellicles' and once every year they have an annual 'Jellicle Ball'. I asked Macavity more about it. He said that Old Deuteronomy – his father and the leader – would choose one Jellicle to be sent to the Heaviside Layer, where they would be born into a different life. Macavity said the Ball was coming up in a few months, so I asked if I could be a part of it. He said only if Old Deuteronomy would accept me into the tribe.

We finally reached the junkyard. Macavity grabbed my paw and we wove between junk piles. Somewhere near the back of the junkyard, we finally reached the gates to the Jellicle Tribe.

"Why is your home so far back here?" I asked.

Jerrie shrugged. "Because 'umans don't come bock 'eah ony moah. The junk piles got tah big. It's safe fah us." I nodded. We walked into the clearing and I found myself surrounded by cats. Jerrie and Teazer scampered off, and Macavity led me over to a black and silver stripped Tabby and a maned Maine Coon.

"Is Dad around?" Macavity asked the Tabby.

"Not yet. In a few hours he will be." The Tabby eyed me. "Who's this?"

"His name is Xander. We found him all alone. His parents are…" Macavity's voice trailed off, but the Tabby knew what he was going to say. Macavity turned to me. "Xander, these are my brothers I told you about: Munkustrap and Rum Tum Tugger."

The maned Maine Coon smiled at me. "Hey, you can call me Tugger. And old fussypants over there likes to be called Munk." Munk, the Tabby, frowned and gave him a playful shove. Tugger fell down. "Ahh! My mane!" Munk and Macavity rolled their eyes.

Macavity turned back to me. "Oh, and you can call me Mac." He glanced around. "Well, Dad will be here soon. Why don't we go play?" I nodded, feeling slightly uneasy. What if this Old Deuteronomy wouldn't accept me?

We played Tag with a few other kittens our age: Asparagus, Alonzo, Bombalurina, Demeter, Cassandra, Exotica, Jerrie, Teazer, Munk, and Tugger. So far, those were all the kittens. I learned the older Jellicles names as well: Grizabella, Gus, Jellylorum, Jennyanydots, Skimbleshanks, and Old Deuteronomy.

**Author's Note: At this point, I should mentioned that a lot of the Jellicles had not been born yet.**

Suddenly, Munk turned towards the gate and broke into a wide smile. Curious, I turned around and saw an old cat slowly walking towards us.

"I believe it is Old Deuteronomy!" Munk cried happily. He, Tugger, and Mac ran over to him and jumped into his waiting arms. Old Deuteronomy and Mac exchanged a few words and he dragged him over to me. The old cat smiled warmly at me.

"You must be Xander," the old cat said. "My name is Old Deuteronomy, but I'm sure you already knew that." I nodded shyly. "I heard about your living arrangements. If you would like, we would love to have you as a part of our Tribe, and become a Jellicle."

I glanced at Mac. He and the other kittens were nodding their heads in excitement. I turned back to Old Deuteronomy. "Yes."

Old Deuteronomy smiled. "Well then, you are now officially a Jellicle. Now, we don't we find you a den?"

"We would be happy to take care of him," an elderly queen spoke up. She and another ginger tom smiled at me. "Would you like that?"

"Jennyanydots and Skimbleshanks would be perfect for you," Old Deuteronomy said. "Now, why don't you go with them? I think I'll pay Gus a visit." With a wave of his paw, Old Deuteronomy left. Jenny reached her paw out to me and I took it. She led me to an old bookcase, which they told me was theirs – and now mine – den.

Clutching my blankie tighter, I walked around. After about ten minutes of walking around, I decided I liked it here. Jenny and Skimble sat on the couch and watched me, a smile never leaving their faces. A knock came at the door, and Mac and Demeter (or Dem, as she preferred) stood at the doorstep, wanting for me to come play again.

I looked over at Jenny and Skimble, unsure of what to do. They told me to go have fun. Laughing, the three of us ran around the junkyard. I don't remember the last time I laughed, and it felt good.

I was going to love my new home.

* * *

**The next chapter will explain which kitten goes to which elderly Jellicle.**


	4. Family Tree

**This is not a chapter! It's a family tree!**

* * *

Old Deuteronomy:

-Mate: Grizabella

-Children: Macavity, Munkustrap, and Rum Tum Tugger

Grizabella:

-Same as Old Deuteronomy

Gus (the Theater Cat):

-Mate: Jellylorum

-Children: Etcetera, Electra, and Admetus

Jellylorum:

-Same as Gus

Jennyanydots:

-Mate: Skimbleshanks

-Children: Rumpus/Xander (adopted son), Pouncival, Tumblebrutus, and Plato (kittens)

Skimbleshanks:

-Same as Jennyanydots

Demeter:

-Mate: Munkustrap

-Children: Jemima (kitten)

-Other relatives: Bombalurina (sister)

Munkustrap: 

-Same as Demeter

-Other relatives: Macavity (brother), and Rum Tum Tugger (brother)

Rum Tum Tugger:

-Mate: Bombalurina

-Children: None

-Other relatives: Munkustrap (brother), and Macavity (brother)

Bombalurina:

-Same as Rum Tum Tugger

-Other relatives: Demeter (sister)

Macavity:

-Mate: None

-Children: Mistoffelees and Victoria

-Other relatives: Munkustrap (brother), and Rum Tum Tugger (brother)

Mungojerrie:

-Mate: Rumpleteazer

-Children: None

Rumpleteazer: 

-Same as Mungojerrie

***Others without families/mates/children:**

Exotica/Cassandra (sisters)

Alonzo

Coricopat/Tantomile (brother and sister)

* * *

**Ok, I think I got all of them. If I missed anyone or something doesn't make sense, feel free to PM me :)**


	5. Changes

_A few months later…_

Finally! The rest of the kittens and I finally came of age! We were really excited, especially since now we could choose our mates and start a family. My fur was still the same short length, but the hairs on my hair were slightly longer, giving me a mangy look. What really sucked is that we were finally able to attend a Jellicle Ball, but we were banned from attending that year after something Mac and I got caught for.

"Sorry buddy," Mac apologized. "I know you were looking forward to going."

"It's alright," I replied. "There's always next year!"

I think that out of all the cats, I bonded with Macavity the most. We were inseparable! We liked to hide from the other cats and play practical jokes. Mac have discovered that he possessed magical powers a few days before our coming – of – age ceremony, and it really came in useful whenever we wanted to play a prank. This may sound gross, but we once found fake rubber puke amongst the piles of junk. Mac made it appear in front of Jenny's den, making sure she could see it. When she did, she freaked out. Mac winked at me and walked over. With a straight face, he said he'd 'get rid of it' and picked it up. Jenny nearly fainted!

Other than that, we were pretty much well behaved. Mac told me that he was in love with Dem. Sure, they went on dates when they were kittens, but now he wanted to take their relationship a step further. I sat on top of the TSE – 1 car and looked around at my friends. I wondered who I would become mates with? None of them really caught my eye, I suppose. Oh well.

Suddenly, Mac started having changes in his behavior. He was always out past curfew and he did things he was not supposed to. He used his magic to hurt cats from outside the Tribe. Old Deuteronomy was fed up with his son's behavior and had a long conversation with him about him and his magic. Mac had secretly let me tune into his mind so I could hear. He was being punished from any activities involving the younger toms and queens. He was given an earlier curfew and was not allowed outside the junkyard without supervision. Old Deuteronomy ended the conversation and Mac blocked his mind again.

I sat in my room a few hours later when Mac called for me in my mind. That was how Mac liked to talked: through speaking through one's mind. I told him in my head that I'll be over right away. I ran to our secret hiding place: an old abandoned treehouse outside the junkyard. When I got there, the treehouse was a mess, and the wood was burned slightly (probably from Mac's magic). He was kicking and scratching at the walls, muttering angrily to himself.

"Uh, Mac?" I asked quietly. "You ok?"

He glared at me. "No, I am not ok!"

"What happened?"

Macavity leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "I went to talk to Dem today to ask her to be my mate."

"And?" I prompted.

His tail twitched angrily. "Bloody queen said she wanted to break off our relationship. Get this: she has feelings for _Munk_!" I pursed my lips in thought. Come to think of it, Dem and Munk were actually a good pair. They were both pretty much compatible with each other. But I didn't say this out loud, of course.

"Really? Munk?"

"Yep." He kicked the wall angrily once more. "I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. I cringed at the noise.

"Do what anymore?" I asked.

"This! I can't be a part of this tribe! I can't stand everyone misjudging my magic!" He stood at the edge of the doorway, looking down at the ground. "Would you miss me if I died?"

My mouth gaped open. "Mac, don't even think about it! Do NOT commit suicide!"

"Would you miss me?" He repeated.

"Yes."

Mac turned around and gave me a half – smile. "I promise I won't kill myself. But, Xander, I'm leaving."

"Where?"

"I don't know. Anywhere, I suppose. I just have to get out of the junkyard."

"But you're my best friend! What will I do without you?"

He shrugged. "Maybe Tugger will let you join his crowd?"

I scoffed at the thought. "Please don't go, Mac."

"I'm sorry…" he turned around and ran out the door. I ran after him, but his scent was long gone. I guess he disappeared into thin air. My tail hung limp as I walked slowly back to the junkyard.

What would I do without my best friend?


	6. Voices

I slowly walked back to the Tribe, not knowing what to think. My best friend was gone. Who knows when I'd see him again?

As I entered the gates, Jenny noticed my upset face. She tried asking me what was wrong, but all I did was shake my head. I didn't want to talk about it. Eventually Jenny gave up and decided to let me tell her on my own time. I went to my room and dove under the covers.

All night I tried contacting Mac through my mind. He never answered, so I guess he blocked his mind off for a while. Skimble once came into my room when I was in the middle of concentrating and asked what I was doing. My face was scrunched up and I was gripping my tail. I told him I was trying to do an impersonation of a little old Pollicle. He bought it and even offered to take me on one of his nightly shifts at the train station!

The next morning, I walked out of my den to see Munk and Dem nuzzling each other. I glared at them from a distance. They were one of the reasons why Mac left. Munk then noticed me and waved me over. At first I didn't want to, but I caved in after a few seconds.

"Hey Xander. Have you seen Mac anywhere?" Munk asked.

My ears twitched at his name. "No."

Munk sighed. "Huh. I wonder where he went?"

_"He left because of you," _I thought. "Maybe he just went with Jerrie and Teazer out to the city." I glanced over. There was Jerrie and Teazer lounging lazily on a rocking chair. "Never mind."

Dem looked at me funny before turning her attention back to Munk. "Hey Munk, let's go hunting."

"Ok," Munk turned back to me. "I'll see you later." They waved and took off. I sat down on a microwave and rested my chin in my paws, wondering what to do now. Jerrie and Teazer waved at me, but I didn't really feel like talking to them just yet.

_"Xander?"_ A voice called to me in my mind.

_"Mac?"_ I thought back.

_"Yeah, it's me. What are you up to?"_

_"Nothing much. Just sitting here. When are you coming back home?"_

_"I'm never coming back home. I can't."_

_"Not even to visit?"_

_"Not even to visit."_

I sighed. _"Fine. Can you do me a favor?"_

_"Anything."_

_"Don't block off your mind. I want to be able to talk to you whenever."_

_"I can do that."_

I noticed Skimble coming towards me. _"Oh, I have to go. Skimble's taking me on one of his nightly duties."_

_"Ok. Have fun!"_

His voice left my mind, but I could still tell his mind was open. I waved at Skimble and ran over to him. He led me to the train station. It was really fun spending some alone time with him. I even got to help him keep the customers happy! When we got home I told Jenny all about it. She seemed happy to see that I wasn't sad anymore. Skimble even said I could come with him anytime I wanted!

* * *

The communication between Mac and I was great. It had been going on for a few weeks. By now, the Jellicles had given up on searching for him. Only I knew where he was. I kept him up to date with everything that went on in the junkyard (except for things about Munk and Dem), and he kept me updated on how he was doing.

He had found himself a warehouse near the edge of town. It was old and abandoned, just the way he liked it. He had gathered himself a few henchcats and devoted his life to a life of crime and torture. I wasn't quite sure how to process Mac's new personality. It was strange, even for him.

_"Mac, why are you doing this?" _I asked one night.

_"The Jellicles told me magic was evil," _he replied smoothly. _"So, I'm showing them that they were correct. They're getting what they deserved."_

_"But to hurt your family and friends…"_

_"They mean nothing to me anymore!" _Macavity snarled. _"Except for you, Tugger, Jerrie, and Teazer. You're all that matters to me…I don't even care for Dem anymore. My stupid Pollicle – of – a – brother Munk can have her."_

_"If this is the life you want, then I'll accept it."_

_"Thanks."_

A few months later I was sleeping peacefully in my room. I stirred awake when I heard a faint '_crack_'. I groaned as I felt someone shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes to see Mac peering down at me. I bolted upright.

"Mac!" I whispered happily.

"Come with me," he said.

"Where?"

"To my warehouse. You and I don't belong here. We're outcasts." He was right. I was another outcast of the Tribe. The Mystical Divinity proclaims that all cats are equal, but black cats are also considered unlucky. So, most of Jellicles my age started avoiding me.

"Ok." I got up. "But what about Jerrie and Teazer?"

"I asked for them to become my henchcats. They agreed."

I nodded and we ran off into the night. I felt guilty. I wished I could have said goodbye to Jenny and Skimble. I decided they were better off not knowing where I was. I followed Mac through the darkness. It wasn't hard to lose him since his fur was a bright orange. He led me to the warehouse and up the stairs. We entered a room to see a few toms sitting around a table and playing cards. They stood up when Mac entered and saluted him. He saluted back and the introductions began.

The first henchcat was Taz, a black and brown tom. The second henchcat was Raoul, a white and gold tom. The third henchcat was Pex, a red and orange tom. The fourth and final henchcat was Svatt, a silver and white tom.

I was told I was to become Mac's second – in – command. I liked the sound of that. Svatt was Mac's right – hand – tom, but I was higher ranked than him. Imagine me being by my best friend's side and committing crimes!

I just hoped my adoptive parents wouldn't worry about me.


	7. One Year Later

_One year later..._

Exactly one year later, Mac and I were pretty much the two most powerful cats in the world. I was still his second – in – command. Many henchcats had come and gone, but I was always there. Mac even let me perform some executions on prisoners. Though I felt guilty about me doing that, I always stayed by his side. I never went back to the junkyard, and I certainly never heard from them. I got to see Jerrie and Teazer every now and again, since they worked part – time for us. Svatt, Taz, Raoul, and Pex were still around and the four most loyal henchcats (besides myself).

I dated many queens (most of them were henchcats), but none of them held any interest for me. I even dated a few toms. My longest relationship was with a tom named Flaike, and that lasted about 3 months. It felt nice knowing someone cared about me. Would it be wrong for me to say that I preferred toms to queens? Mac and I talked about it, and he understood. Mac had even dated a few queens, but those relationships never lasted very long or ended very well. Eventually Mac decided to stop having queens for henchcats and recruited only toms.

By now, cats everywhere (and the Jellicles) knew who we were and stayed out of our paths. I thought about the Jellicles and my adoptive parents a lot. I knew I could never face them now. They'd disown me and turn against me. Mac always tells me that they weren't good enough for us anyways, and after a while, I began believing him. When we walked the streets, cats bowed to us or ran away. We were like royalty.

So, enough about that. Let's get on with the rest of it, shall we?

"Any news on the Jellicles?" Mac asked Jerrie and Teazer one afternoon. We hadn't seen them for over a month.

"Let's see…" Jerrie thought. "Bomba ond Tuggah, Munk ond Demetah, ond Teazah ond Oi ore now moited. Jelly ond Gus, Jenny ond Skimble, ond Munk and Demetah oll 'ad kittons. Oh, remembah Cylia? Yeah, she wos pregnant with yah kittons. But she died giving birth tah them." Cylia used to be a Jellicle. But now, supposedly she was dead.

"What?" I asked. "Jenny and Skimble have kittens? I have brothers and sisters? By the way, congratulations!"

"Thonks. Ond technically, yah 'ave brothahs," Teazer explained. "Three tah be exoct: Pouncival, Tumblebrutus, and Plato."

Mac sat frozen at his desk. He had children? "How many?" He asked Jerrie.

"Two. One queen, Victoria, ond one tom, Mistoffelees."

Mac rubbed his face, taking the news in. "What do they look like?"

"They ore sooo cute!" Teazer squealed. "Victoria is oll whoite. Not a speck of colah on 'er onywhere! Mistoffelees is block ond whoite, ond 'e looks loike 'e's wearing a tuxedo."

"Oh, we should mention, Mistoffelees is mogical," Jerrie added.

Mac looked up, surprised at the news. "Magical?" He gave a half – smile. "Well, I suppose he'd be a good addition to our team."

"What?!" I stared at him in shock. "You're making your son – a _kitten_ – join our team?"

Mac shrugged. "Why not? He's my son and he is now the heir to our company."

I held back a hiss. Ok, killing cats for no reason was acceptable in some ways, but forcing a _kitten_ to do all that? That was inexcusable! Jerrie and Teazer left, leaving Mac and I alone. I left a little while later and thought about my new brothers. Hm…Plato, Tumblebrutus, and Pouncival…I wonder what they are like? I desperately wanted to meet them. Maybe I could sneak over there and spy at least?

That's what I decided to do. I told Mac that I was going to find new training equipment in the city. I left and ran over to the junkyard. I planned to only spy and not get seen. All I wanted to do was at least see my new brothers, and maybe get a glimpse of Jenny and Skimble.

The junkyard came into view, and my heart longed for home.


	8. Storytelling

**Sorry if there are some parts that are a little rushed in the story. I want to get to the Rumpus Cat parts as soon as possible.**

* * *

I could hear the familiar voices of all the Jellicles as I came closer. There were a few voices I didn't recognize, which only meant they were the kittens. I ducked behind a pile of junk and silently watched. A smile broke onto my face as I saw my adoptive mother and father walking around. A white and auburn tom, a white and tan tom, and a white and greyish/black tom followed them around. I guessed they were my brothers.

"Tumble! Stop biting Pounce!" Skimble scolded the white and tan tom, who must have been Tumblebrutus. He dropped the white and greyish/black tom's, Pouncival, tail and jumped onto the white and auburn tom, who must have been Plato. Skimble sighed as he watched his three sons wrestle with each other.

"Hey Mom!" Pouncival called out. "What this!" He ran on top of the TSE – 1 car and did an impressive backflip. Jenny closed her eyes and shook her head. She constantly worried about his youngest son, who had taken a liking to acrobatics.

"That was very nice dear," she called back.

I watched my brothers run around with four more kittens, who I later learned was Etcetera, Electra, Admetus (all Jelly's and Gus's children), Jemima (Munk's and Demeter's daughter), Mistoffelees, and Victoria (both Mac's children). They were sitting in a circle and telling each other scary stories about the Hidden Paw. They each made up their own stories, and I listened with interest.

"I'm telling you, the Rumpus Cat is real!" The little brown tom, Admetus, was saying.

"The Rumpus Cat?" Jemima giggled. "Get real, Addie."

"I'm serious!" Admetus cried. "Wait…I think this might help you believe me." He broke out into a song about the Pekes and the Pollicles battling, and how the great Rumpus Cat broke up the fight.

_"All hail and bow to the great Rumpus Cat!" _He finished up the song, giving his small crowd a bow. The elderly Jellicles had gathered around to hear Admetus's tale. They applauded and cheered.

"Maybe we'll have to use that for a song during the Jellicle Ball," Munk said to Admetus, who was beaming proudly. The kittens had discarded their storytelling and went to harass Tugger. Boy, he sure changed! His mane was fully grown and he now wore a leopard – print bandana tied around his left leg to match his leopard spots on his wrists and ankles.

I got up to leave, wanting to visit them again tomorrow. I got back to the warehouse and told Mac I didn't find anything useful for training. He nodded and I left his office. I caught myself a few rats and went back to my room.

I couldn't wait to go back to the junkyard again!

* * *

I came back to the junkyard every day for the next month. I enjoyed listening to the kittens play and hearing their stories. Especially Admetus. I liked hearing about this imaginary Rumpus Cat and his adventures with battling the Pekes and Pollicles. He once described what the Rumpus Cat looked like: he was completely black, wore a big 'R' on his chest, and had these red goggles.

I looked down at myself. Hey, I looked a little like the Rumpus Cat! All I needed was an 'R' and some red goggles. I wonder how they would act if I suddenly appeared out of nowhere dressed as him? I smiled to myself and pictured their reactions.

Just then, Mac paged me in my mind to come back to the warehouse. I reluctantly snuck out of the junkyard and ran the whole way back. I went up to Mac's office and he held a file in his hands.

"What's that for?" I asked.

"It's time that we destroy the Jellicles once and for all," Mac replied smoothly.

"As in…?" I prompted.

"It's simple. We kill them all."

I gaped in horror. "I'm sorry…did you just say…_kill them_?"

Mac nodded. "I especially want Munk dead since he took my only love away from me."

"So you're doing this all because of a relationship?"

"In a way. So, are you up for it?"

"Kill our friends and family? My brothers…your children and even Tugger?"

Mac nodded. "Yes, though I wish Tugger could be spared. Anyways, I'll have Svatt, Raoul, Pex, and Taz all train the henchcats for battle. I expect for you to accompany me during the battle as well. Good day."

We were going to kill the Jellicles?

Everlasting Cat, what was I going to do?


	9. Admetus's Savior

"C'mon Addie! We all know he's not real!"

"You're such a baby!"

"We're coming – of – age in a few days, and all you can talk about is that stupid Rumpus Cat! We can't hang out with a _kitten _like you."

Admetus kept his head down and stared at the dirt while his friends teased him. He sniffled quietly, trying not to cry. He knew the Rumpus Cat was real, he just knew it! His friends always asked sarcastically where this superhero was, but he never showed up. Fed up, Admetus turned on his heel and ran out of the junkyard.

"Stupid, stupid friends…" Admetus muttered as he kicked a pebble in front of him. He sat down and stared out across the river. "He_ is _real!" Admetus had found over the few months that being alone helped calm him down. He waded out into the river and floated on his back.

_"His eyes were like fireballs, fearfully blazing," _Admetus sang softly. _"He gave a great yawn, and his jaws were amazing! And when he looked out through the bars of the area, you never saw anything fiercer…or hairier!"_

Admetus noticed that the current was getting stronger. He opened his eyes to see him being swept away from the shore. The current was too strong for him, and he was pulled under repeatedly.

"Help!" Admetus yelled "HELP ME!" He was pulled back under.

* * *

I searched the junkyard the next day until I found what I was looking for: red goggles and an iron – on 'R'. Attaching the 'R' to my chest and snapping on the red goggles, I was prepared to make an entrance today. The kittens kept teasing Admetus and his 'Rumpus Cat' to the point where he was on the verge of tears.

I made my way over to the junkyard, tripping over my feet. These goggles would take some time in getting used to. I smiled, excited to see little Admetus's face light up with joy as his favorite superhero came to life. I couldn't wait to see how those kittens would react!

"HELP ME!"

I stopped walking. What was that? I listened closely, wondering what made that noise.

"HELP ME!"

I froze. That sounded like…_Admetus_! I ran towards the sound of his voice. I found myself standing at the river, watching the kitten being pulled under the current. I pulled the goggles off my face and dropped them on the ground before diving into the river. Admetus had not noticed me and was still yelling for help. I could see him trying to fight the current, but he was losing. He sunk under the water once more. I dived under and found his tail caught underneath a rock, his eyes closed. I yanked on his tail and grabbed him tightly. I gasped for air as we hit the surface.

Luckily, training with Macavity had its advantages. I was able to swim against the current and towards the shore. I dragged the kitten and laid him on his back. I listened for breathing, and heard nothing. I performed CPR on the kitten until I heard him spit out the water from his lungs and gasp for air. I quickly grabbed my goggles and put them on. We stood up, and Admetus faced me and stared in shock.

"R…Rumpus Cat?" He asked, his little eyes wide with surprise. I smiled. "You really are real!"

What happened next, I'll never forget.

He threw himself forward and hugged me. To my horror, I felt hot inside when the kitten wrapped his arms around my waist. As I wrapped my own arms around him, I couldn't help but noticed he fit perfectly, like he was designed for me and me alone. I couldn't say anything. My feelings were too out of whack. He pulled away and smiled up at me.

"Thank you for saving my life," he said happily.

"You're welcome," I replied. "You should probably go home to your family. They might be worried sick about you."

He nodded and started to walk away. "Wait!" He turned around. "Will you come with me? My friends don't believe you exist, and I want to show them they're wrong. I knew you were real!"

"I can't," I quickly replied. "Not yet. I have to…go stop a fight between a Peke and a Pollicle."

He pouted but instantly smiled again. "Well, can you visit me tomorrow? I live in the junkyard."

I nodded. "Yes."

I had never seen someone so happy as Admetus. He practically danced away, smiling like he was given a lifetime supply of tuna. I chuckled and thought about what just happened. Why did I feel so hot inside when we hugged?

Oh well. I needed to get back to the warehouse. Time for another meeting for Mac's plans. I took off the goggles and 'R' and stuffed them inside my mattress. I walked down the hall and sat next to Macavity as he went over the plan again.

I still didn't know how to stop his plans.


	10. Intruder

Today was Admetus's coming – of – age ceremony, and I was going to make a surprise visit. I slipped on my Rumpus Cat costume and headed over to the junkyard. As I got closer, I could hear the excited voice of Admetus telling his friends that I would show up. I felt angry inside when they snickered and called him a baby. Time to put my plan into action!

I headed over to the TSE – 1 car and took at running start at it. I jumped over the top and landed on the hood, causing a big ruckus. The Jellicles whipped around to face me. Admetus's face lit up and he looked at his friends, who were staring in shock. I smirked to myself. Munk stormed up to me as I slid off the car.

"Who are you?" He demanded to know.

"I am the great Rumpus Cat!" I boasted, puffing out my chest. Munk darted his gaze from me to Admetus and back to me again. Admetus came over and tugged on my arm, leading me to his group of friends.

"See?" Admetus said. "I _told_ you he was real!"

"How do we know that isn't someone we know?" Tumblebrutus asked suspiciously.

"Because I'm not," I replied truthfully. They wouldn't know who I was since I left before they were born.

"I think you're real," Jemima said shyly. Wow, she looked a lot like Demeter. Admetus and Jemima led me away from the group to give me a tour of the junkyard – as if I really needed it. Jenny flagged us down and asked who their new friend was.

"This is _the _Rumpus Cat!" Admetus exclaimed. "I told you about him!"

"Oh, yes, that's right," Jenny mused. She peered at me a little closely.

"Jenny, why are you staring at him?" Jemima asked quietly.

"It's just…you look very familiar…" Jenny said to me. My blood turned cold and my breathing became slightly uneasy. I hoped to Everlasting Cat she didn't recognize me.

"Probably not," I replied shakily.

"Hm…" Jenny returned to her knitting. "I once had a son who looked a lot like you. He ran away one night to join Macavity." She shivered at his name. Before she could say anything else, I found myself being dragged over to the center of the clearing. We invited the other kittens to play Mouse, Mouse, Rat (the cat version of Duck, Duck, Goose). We were only playing for a few minutes when –

"POLLICLE!" Alonzo shouted from his post. The Jellicles screamed and dove for cover. Admetus took my paw and we ran to his den.

"JEMIMA!" I heard Demeter yell. I looked out the window to see a large Pollicle cornering the small queen. She was trembling as she watched the Pollicle come closer, licking his lips hungrily. Munk, Alonzo, and Skimbleshanks had been knocked out when they tried rescuing her.

"Oh no!" Jelly cried. I had an idea. Admetus had said the Rumpus Cat battled the Pekes and the Pollicles, right? Well, wait until he sees his idol in action! I ran out the den and towards the large Pollicle. Luckily for me, I got used to the goggles.

"Rumpus!" I heard Admetus yell after me. I jumped on the Pollicle and dug my claws into his back. The Pollicle howled in pain and tried shaking me off. At that point, Munk, Alonzo, and Skimbleshanks had woken up and stared at the scene in front of them.

"Run!" I yelled to Jemima, who ran into the waiting arms of her parents.

The Pollicle threw me against a pile of junk and I fell off. I groaned as I made contact with the ground. I stood up and faced the now angry Pollicle. He bared his teeth, making him seem fiercer. He lunged at me and I lashed my paw out, giving him a deep gash in his nose. He yelped and backed up a few feet. He noticed the blood and gave me a death glare before turning around to think of a new strategy. I noticed Admetus standing outside his door, watching. I decided to let him have some fun with his idol.

"Admetus!" I yelled. "Catch!" I grabbed a jump rope that was lying near me and threw one end at Admetus. He caught it and ran over to me. "When I saw 'now' I want you to pull on the jump rope." He nodded and we turned to see that the Pollicle had now turned around and was now charging at us. I waited until he was a few feet in front of us again. "NOW!"

We pulled on our side of the jump rope, making it lift off the ground. The Pollicle was too dumb to notice and tripped over the jump rope. We turned to see the Pollicle whipped around and faced us. I could see his confidence was gone, and I got another idea, but it was pretty lame. I stared at the Pollicle and puffed up my fur, making my longer head fur stand up even higher and gave a playful hiss. The Pollicle yelped and sped out of the junkyard.

The Jellicles cheered while Admetus and I high – pawed each other. I was taken by surprise when he hugged me. Oh Everlasting Cat…it felt so nice. He pulled away and looked at me. I was a little sad when he did that, though. Wait…what am I saying?! I shouldn't be feeling like this towards a tom!

"Thank you," Admetus whispered. The Jellicles gathered around us and were cheering us, chanting our names. We looked at each other and smiled.

"Rumpus," Munk said as he stepped forward. "We would be honored if you joined us for a song at the Jellicle Ball." The Jellicle Ball?! I haven't ever been to one before! Now was my chance.

"Yes!"

Munk and I walked away, discussing plans for my song. Admetus never left my side, and I was sort of..._happy_ about that.

"Wait!" I said suddenly. "Why don't we use that song Admetus sang about me one time?"

Admetus narrowed his eyes. "How did you know I sang about you?"

I gulped. Whoops, didn't think that one through. "I, uh, was passing by the junkyard when I heard it?"

He seemed to buy that. Munk asked to hear the song, and the rest of the day we spent planning. I even stayed to help them create Peke and Pollicle costumes. It was the most fun I've had in a long time.


End file.
